Their inspiring discussion sparked life lessons that apply for real estate professionals.

Mark and Scott Kelly are identical twin brothers who have been astronauts in NASA’s space program for decades. Career highlights include commanding the space shuttle, and for Scott, spending 340 days in space — a U.S. record.

Their inspiring panel discussion at the recent MBA conference in Boston sparked life lessons that apply to real estate professionals, particularly those in the mortgage industry.

1. You have to risk failure to succeed

It’s important to push the boundaries of what you believe you can achieve.

Mark and Scott were Navy pilots before they became full-fledged astronauts, and part of their training included landing a plane on an aircraft carrier.

They both had trouble with this, and Scott once almost crashed his plane. A superior took him aside and asked, “Are you sure you’re cut out for this?”

The Kelly brothers’ discussion gave something refreshing to this regulatory-heavy industry: hope.

When you’re struggling to overcome an obstacle, looking at it through someone else’s unique viewpoint can be inspiring. With a new perspective, you might achieve success that you once thought impossible.